New York Rangers: Five Under the Radar Prospects

In an earlier post, we listed the five best prospects in the New York Rangers farm system. Although the five prospects previously mentioned are the cream of the crop in the Blueshirts organization, by no means are they the only talented prospects that the Rangers possess.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at five unheralded prospects who could be on the Blueshirts roster in the not-so-distant future:

1. Kyle Jean

Jean has burst onto the scene this year. The Rangers signed the 22-year-old as an undrafted free agent over the summer.

Prior to signing with the Rangers organization, the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan native played for the Lake Superior State Lakers in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association for the last two seasons. In 67 games, Jean tallied 13 goals and 25 assists while racking up 99 penalty minutes.

This season, the 6-4, 203 pound forward has been impressive with the Connecticut Whale in the American Hockey League. Jean has used his size and quickness to advantage, totaling six points (three goals and three assists) in Connecticut’s first four games.

2. Steven Fogarty

The Rangers have drafted more American-born players in recent years (three of their last four first round draft picks have been born in the U.S.), and Fogarty is an example of that. The Chambersburg, Pennsylvania native was selected by the Blueshirts in the third round of last year’s entry draft.

As a rookie in the British Columbia Hockey League last year with Penticton, Fogarty finished ninth in the league in scoring with 82 points (33 goals, 49 assists) in 60 games.

This season, the 19-year-old decided to switch to college hockey, and Fogarty is playing his freshman year at Notre Dame. Through the first four games of the young season, Fogarty hasn’t recorded a point.

3. Cam Talbot

The Rangers have as good of a 1-2 combination in net as any team in the league with Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Biron, but Talbot has turned heads with his play in the AHL. After tending the net for three years at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the Caledonia, Ontario native signed with the Rangers in March of 2010.

After an unimpressive debut in his first game in the AHL, Talbot finished the 2010-11 with 11 wins, a 2.84 goals against average, and a .902 save percentage. The 25-year-old had an even better sophomore season as the club’s number one netminder, winning 14 games while lowering his goals against average to 2.61 and raising his save percentage to .913.

Talbot is starting this season with the Whale, but has yet to play a game due to a foot injury.

4. Andrew Yogan

The Blueshirts have been fortunate in the last decade to pick NHL-caliber players in the later rounds of the Draft. In fact, the team’s two most important players, Henrik Lundqvist and Ryan Callahan, were selected in the seventh and fourth rounds, respectively. The Rangers might have another fourth-round pick that is worthy of hockey’s top tier in Andrew Yogan.

Selected 100th overall in the 2010 Draft, Yogan has the makings of a power forward. The 6-3, 201 pound forward played with the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League in 2011-12, and finished the season tied for sixth in the league in goals with 41, and tied for 15th in the league in points with 78.

The 20-year-old Yogan is playing his first full season with the Whale.

5. Shane McColgan

Shane McColgan (Shoot the Breeze Photography)

Not too many National Hockey League players are coming from the Sunbelt, but McColgan just might have the scoring touch and tenacity to change that. The Torrance, California native was selected in the fifth round of the 2011 Draft.

McColgan spent his entire junior career with the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League, and made his name as a player who can thrive in all aspects of the game. Although he wasn’t one of the league’s top scorers, the 19-year-old averaged 21 goals and 66 points in his three full seasons with Kelowna.

McColgan is playing his first full season with the Saskatoon Blades in the 2012-13 season.

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